2013 Pirelli World Challenge Schedule AnnouncedWC Vision today announced seven of the 10 venues that will make up the 2013 Pirelli World Challenge® Championships campaign. The 2013 season will mark the 24th-consecutive year of one of North America’s top professional series for production-based sports cars. Competitors will contend for Drivers’, Manufacturers’ and Team Championships in the individual GT, GTS, Touring Car and Touring Car B-Spec classes.

The Sports Car Wars 2013 season opener is scheduled for March 22-24 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. This is the fourth straight year the Pirelli World Challenge will begin its race season in the Sunshine State with a big doubleheader weekend as part of the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg IZOD IndyCar event. GT and GTS competitors will open the season with Round One scheduled for Saturday, March 23, and Round Two on Sunday, March 24.

GT and GTS teams then head off to compete in the Roar by The Shore and the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 19-21. It’s the eighth-straight year the series will compete in Long Beach on the 11-turn, 1.968-mile temporary street course.

The series travels back to the Motor City and the Streets of Belle Isle, Detroit, May 31-June 2. GT and GTS teams will run a big doubleheader weekend as part of the Detroit Chevrolet Belle Isle Grand Prix.

July 12–14, GT and GTS teams set their sights north of the border to compete at Exhibition Place on the Streets of Toronto as part of the Honda Indy Toronto. The series last competed on the 1.765 mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit in 2010.

August 2–4, all four classes return to race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The series made its first appearance at Mid-O in 1994 and has had the track on its schedule consecutively since 2002. Teams then make the trek west to Sonoma, California to race at Sonoma Raceway, August 23–25.

The series finale weekend is scheduled for October 4–6 as part of the Grand Prix of Houston. It’s the first time the series will compete at the 1.7-mile temporary Reliant Park street circuit. Two more events completing the 2013 schedule will be announced shortly. The total number of GT, GTS, Touring Car and Touring Car B-Spec class races will be announced shortly.

“Our 2013 season will feature a perfect mix of the best street and road racing circuits in North America, offering a great opportunity for our drivers and teams to deliver tremendous sports car racing action with thunderous standing starts in a 50-minute sprint race format,” said Scott Bove, President and CEO, WC Vision. “The Pirelli World Challenge Championship Series will partner with IndyCar at seven events throughout the 2013 season and will continue to develop commercial partnerships with all of the tracks on the schedule.”

Pirelli World Challenge races feature thrilling standing starts, adrenaline filled door-to-door action and world-class drivers. Pirelli World Challenge features cars from the world's most popular manufacturers – race-prepped versions of the cars driven on the streets. Sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing, Pirelli World Challenge races at North America's premier road and temporary street courses. For more information about the series, visit www.world-challenge.com.

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